Welcome to 2022 – we’re already well into the year. Each year many of us make resolutions to start over and to follow new healthier habits. We say we will exercise, eat healthier food, lose weight, get organized, manage our stress or give more time to our friends and families.
We start off with good intentions, and then our motivations decrease. We have life interruptions which interfere with our ability to continue with follow-through. Some may already be at this point. According to US News and World Report there is a failure rate of 80% of New Year’s resolutions and most lose their resolve by mid-February. Privately we get mad at ourselves for giving up and we stop trying to do them. Our negative thinking takes over.
But all of these ideas are worthy of our time and attention. So, what can we do to re-make our resolve?
We can start over and think of more reasonable steps we can take. Our successes can be smaller and more measurable. Once we achieve more of our goals, our thinking becomes more positive. We are not angry with ourselves for giving up.
Our goals can include measurable steps like:
- I will exercise for 15 minutes per day and then increase the time spent doing it.
- I will reduce foods that are not healthy, reduce my salt intake and limit sweets and desserts.
- I will control my weight with proper diet and exercise.
- My lab results and health numbers will improve.
- I will organize my files or clean my room in the house for 15 minutes per day to overcome my tendency to procrastinate.
- We can commit a day or night per week to give to our spouse “a date night” or create an activity of choice with our children and friends.
- We can also practice good work-life balance, increase time for relaxation.
-Erik Libby, LCSW